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 Ah, winter. That glorious season filled with big, fluffy sweaters, comfort food, crackling fires... and dry, scaly, itchy skin. While dry skin is a year-round concern for some people, just about everyone experiences it this time of year. What makes winter weather so damaging to skin? Air. Outside it's less humid; inside it's hot and dry. This makes the water inside our skin cells evaporate. The result is rough, chapped skin.
But winter weather doesn't mean you've got to sit back and take it. Nature's pharmacy contains many skin savers - from vitamins and foods to herbs and essential oils - all of which can help repair dry skin and keep you comfortable (and kissably soft) till springtime.
Moisture retention is the key to beating dry skin. The first step is rethinking your bathing habits. Hot water takes oils away, so there's less to lubricate the skin. Plus, as your body ages, your oil glands shrink, so that's double trouble. Since cutting your shower schedule probably won't win you friends at the office, try spending less time in the shower and using lukewarm water. And given soap's notorious reputation for drying out skin, try using a natural, non-soap cleanser that contains moisturizing vegetable oils and vegetable glycerin, a plant sugar.
After bathing, pat - don't rub - your skin with a towel. And while you're still damp, apply a natural moisturizer over your entire body. This seats in your skin's moisture with a slight film of oil that prevents water from evaporating, and it soothes the top layer of skin by putting moisture back in.
Many dry skin remedies can be found right in your kitchen. For instance, avocados, packed with moisture-retaining oils, are a particular favorite. Mash one, then apply it to dry areas on your body and face. Leave it on for 15 minutes, then wash it off with warm water.
Cornstarch is another time-honored natural remedy. Mix enough to make a paste with a small amount of cold water (you also can add in some of that avocado), then apply it to dry spots up to three times a day. When the temperature dips, reach for wheat germ, almond or Brazil nut oils. All contain vitamin E, a moisturizer, collagen-booster and antioxidant that quenches skin-aging free radicals. Slather them on your body after bathing, drizzle them on salads or simply take capsules.
Olive oil is another favorite, either as a topical treatment or mixed in a bath. Add two tablespoons of olive oil to warm bath water, then soak for 15 to 30 minutes. You'll balance out the drying effect of bathing and your skin will feel more lubricated.
If dry skin is driving you to scratch, try adding one-quarter cup of vinegar to bath water. Rubbing skin with the inside of a banana peel, a natural source of antihistamines, also can neutralize itch.
And because the skin's outer layer (epidermis) secretes oil and sweat, never underestimate the power of drinking water - at least the requisite six to eight glasses a day. If you don't drink enough water, then there's not enough to secrete through the skin, and you'll dry it even further. |
